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This episode originally aired on June 13, 2025.

ICE raids began last Friday across Southern California. People have been detained and there have been confrontations between protesters and law enforcement. What exactly went down and where does Los Angeles go from here? We hear from family members of people detained by ICE and talk with LAist Civics and Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze about the unprecedented week that Angelenos just experienced. Also we take a look at the history of this moment -- and why it's significant that it's all happening in LA.

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

The Iran national soccer team competed in its first match at the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles – after months of uncertainty over whether they’d play amid the US war on Iran. It's the first time in the tournament’s history that a host nation has gone to war with a participating nation. In our final installment of our World Cup series, LAist reporter Libby Rainey looks at the Iranian team’s precarious path to LA, the role politics has played in the largest and longest World Cup in FIFA history, and the issues the team and LA's large Iranian diaspora continues to navigate.

Check out more of Libby’s reporting and LAist’s World Cup guide at LAist.com/WorldCup

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Los Angeles is hosting eight matches for this year’s FIFA World Cup. Today, LA is home to three professional soccer teams and one of the biggest soccer youth organizations in the nation, but did you know its history with soccer goes back over a century? With the world cup at our doorstep, LAist correspondent Adolfo Guzman-Lopez traces LA’s relationship with soccer, from its celebrity scene to its immigrant roots.

Check out more of Adolfo’s reporting and LAist’s World Cup guide at LAist.com/WorldCup

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

The stakes are high for this year’s FIFA World Cup. For the first time in the tournament's history, 48 national teams will compete across 16 cities. That includes Los Angeles. And despite the sport’s biggest names battling it out on the field, high ticket prices, ICE’s role at the games, and other issues have caused concern among fans. LAist reporter Libby Rainey joins us for an overview of the World Cup and what the historic event will mean for Angelenos and visitors.

Check out more of Libby’s reporting and LAist’s World Cup guide at LAist.com/WorldCup

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

If you still haven’t voted and need some help, listen to this encore of the first episode in our Voter Game Plan series – LAist Community Engagement Senior Producer Brianna Lee previews the key races and answers burning questions on navigating the primary election. And be sure to check out all the episodes in our series. Whether you’re voting for L.A. mayor, the school board or superior court judge, we bring you what you need to make an informed vote. 

Check out all the Voter Game Plan guides at LAist.com/vgp

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

In the fourth installment of our Voter Game Plan series, we cover a number of hotly contested primary races in Orange County. These include races for jobs that determine how the county spends billions of taxpayer dollars, to another that oversees the county’s education system, serving nearly a half million students. Plus we dive deep into two OC races where multiple candidates are facing troubling allegations. LAist reporters Jill Replogle, Elly Yu and Yusra Farzan have been covering the OC primaries and join the show to share their reporting.

Content Advisory: This episode contains graphic imagery about workplace sexual harassment allegations against an Orange County candidate around the 25:11 mark. Listener discretion is advised.

Check out the Orange County Voter Game Plan guides on LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

The stakes are high for two of the most high profile local races on the June primary ballot. The L.A. mayor and L.A. County sheriff are hugely influential positions, and the incumbents in each race face crowded fields of challengers. LAist Civics and Democracy correspondent Frank Stoltze breaks down both races and discusses the front-runners and their platforms. 

Check out Frank’s Voter Game Plan guides for the mayor and the sheriff’s race on LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Traffic ticket disputes. Child custody cases. Theft. Voters decide which Los Angeles and Orange County superior court judges rule on these kinds of cases and other daily issues that directly affect how we live.Though multiple local judges are up for a vote on the June primary ballot, finding information about these candidates can be trickier than other races. In the second installment of our voter game plan series, LAist Reporter Cato Hernández discusses each of the judicial candidates and shares some important tips from a former judge.

Check out Cato's Voter Game Plan guides on the LA and OC Superior Court judges at LAist.com. 

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

All month long on Imperfect Paradise, we’re bringing you a special series devoted to the June primaries. Whether you’re voting for L.A. mayor, school board or superior court judge, we'll help you make an informed vote. To kick off the series, LAist Community Engagement Senior Producer Brianna Lee previews the key races and answers burning questions on navigating the primary election cycle.

Check out all the Voter Game Plan guides at LAist.com 

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Although religion is an inescapable element in conflicts around the world and a polarizing topic here at home, one place of worship in Pasadena, California, is defying religious labels. Amid the crosses and stained glass windows depicting the life of Christ, the First United Methodist Church shifts from Friday through Sunday to accommodate the three Abrahamic faiths. LAist reporter Yusra Farzan takes us through a weekend of Muslims' Friday prayers, a Jewish Shabbat service, and a Christian Easter celebration -- all coexisting under one roof.

Read Yusra’s full report at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.